Red Force exit Super50 Cup after heavy loss to Barbados

A new CG United Super50 Cup champion will be crowned this year as title holders Trinidad and Tobago Red Force fell to Barbados Pride by a mammoth 153 runs in semifinal one at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on November 22.

Barbados posted a mighty total of 339/7 fuelled by Zachary McCaskie’s player of the match knock of 94, batting first, while Red Force were unimpressive in their chase and dismissed for 186 36.3 overs.

The result saw the hosts and 2023 winners TT eliminated with the Royals moving on to the November 23 final, where they will meet the winner of today’s (November 21) second semi-final between Jamaica Scorpions and Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the same venue.

Sent into bat, Pride openers Zachary McCaskie (94) and Leniko Boucher (69) started positively and kept the scoreboard ticking to 62 without loss after ten overs. Both right-handers smartly rotated the strike with McCaskie achieving his third half century of the season, and fifth overall in List A cricket.

In his first match for Red Force this season, Isaiah Rajah’s introduction to the Red Force bowling attack in the 19th over backfired for the hosts as McCaskie spanked him for three sixes.

Twenty overs in, Barbados looked in total control at 122 without loss. But with McCaskie six runs away from achieving his second List A century, Red Force made another bowling change and brought in off-spinner Mark Deyal in the 24th over.

Three balls into Deyal’s spell, McCaskie chipped down the wicket and drove high into the air in search of a stylish maximum, but had his hopes dashed as Jyd Goolie latched on to the ball in front of the boundary rope, to end Prides’ highest opening partnership (141) of the season.

McCaskie hit 94 from 82 balls comprising six four and six sixes.

Skipper Raymond Reifer (65) joined an in-form Boucher at the crease and the duo played aggressively to lift Barbados to 187/1 after 30 overs.

Reifer showed early intent by hitting two fours, both off his back foot, against fast bowler Tion Webster while Boucher attained his fifth List A half-century.

As the scored kept rising, Red Force tried everything to break the newly formed partnership, and at that stage, used eight bowlers in the innings.

Deyal returned to the attack and broke another critical partnership (50 runs) as Boucher strut down the pitch and missed his shot, for wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo to nab the stumping.

At 192/2, new batsman Kevin Wickham entered and hit a brisk 14 before he was bowled by skipper and lefty Khary Pierre as TT tried to regain control.

Fresh off his T20I campaign with West Indies against England, Roston Chase and Reifer constructed a well-worked 50-run partnership. Reifer also racked up his second half century of the season before Deyal strategically struck again, sending the Royals captain packing, caught by Goolie.

Chase batted well and posted 43 but was removed courtesy a brilliant flying catch from Pierre off pacer Shannon Gabriel.

Lower-order batsmen Matthew Jones (14), Nyeem Young (13) and Dominic Drakes (12 not out) helped Pride to a solid total of 339/7.

Topping the bowling for Red Force was Deyal (4/53) while Shannon Gabriel (1/52), Pierre (1/52) and fast bowler Terrance Hinds (1/68) bagged one each.

Set a challenging 340 for victory, the hosts had a reserved start as openers Kjorn Ottley (nine) and Tion Webster (56) found it hard to settle courtesy targeted bowling from Pride fast bowlers Chemar Holder and Dominic Drakes.

The bowling pair made the first breakthrough as Ottley half-volleyed one of Holder’s deliveries to deep cover into Drakes’ hands with just 15 runs on the board from 3.5 overs.

Webster then smashed Drakes for three fours — behind point, driving through the off-side and another through mid-on — in the next over. The right-handed batsman took no prisoners as he pulled Holder for six off his back foot before licking medium pacer Nyeem Young for three consecutive fours.

Jangoo (16) was unable to replicate his form from earlier matches as he perished for 16, caught by McCaskie off Matthew Jones; TT 83/2 inside 13 overs. Soon after, Webster brought up his half-century from 39 balls.

Veteran Jason Mohammed (one) joined Webster in the chase but he was also sent packing after five deliveries courtesy of miscommunication between the two, resulting in him being run out.

Three balls later, Chase had Webster brilliantly bowled which sank Red Force to 91/4. Chase turned the screws on the hosts ten runs on as Goolie edged to wicketkeeper Leniko Boucher.

At 101/5 in under 20 overs, the defending champions’ hold on the trophy slipped away.

Hinds, in his first match back from West Indies T20I duty, joined Isaiah Rajah, in his first Super50 match for the season, in the middle needing a big ask with the bat.

Hinds showed some form by driving left-arm spinner Matthew Jones for six runs then slogging him for a boundary. He then lofted off-spinner Kemar Smith for another six off his first delivery but was caught behind by Boucher two balls later, to spiral TT to 125/6.

Deyal (34) brought brief expectations for the home fans after reverse sweeping Jones for four, then slashing Chase for another, before launching Smith for a maximum.

Deyal and Rajah carried TT to 178, before the former’s temporary heroics with the bat were ended, caught by McCaskie off Smith.

At 178/7, the remained three batsmen could only add eight more runs to the total as Red Force went all out on 186 from 36.3 overs.

Topping the bowling for Barbados were Drakes (3/24), Chase (2/40), Smith (2/42) and Holder (1/24).

The second semifinal bowls off at the south venue on November 21 from 1pm and the title match on November 23, at the same time and venue.

Scores:

BARBADOS PRIDE 339-7 in 50 overs (Zachary McCaskie 94, Leniko Boucher 69, Raymon Reifer 65, Roston Chase 43, Kevin Wickham 14, Matthew Jones 14, Nyeem Young 13, Dominic Drakes 12 not out; Mark Deyal 4-53).

TT RED FORCE 186 in 36.3 overs (Tion Webster 56, Mark Deyal 34, Isaiah Rajah 28, Terrance Hinds 22, Amir Jangoo 16; Dominic Drakes 3-24, Roston Chase 2-40, Kemar Smith 2-42).

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